It’s my birthday. Yay… I don’t know why I’m not big on celebrating. Never have been. I think I write this to myself every year. If it was left to me, I would just let the day quietly pass by like just another day. But people around me seem to have made it their mission to mark the occasion in their own way. Don’t get me wrong, I still find it sweet, and thoughtful. I’m always a good sport and go along with it.
The real highlight this year? My business partner. The guy’s love language is clearly gift-giving, even though he knows I’m too bashful to accept presents just because it’s my birthday. The week leading up, wife said she’s never seen this level of precision planning and thought with her and their two children. But I’ve got to hand it to him, I was impressed. And while some of these gifts were definitely for him as much as for me, he nailed it. Here’s what he got me:
Luxury Ice Balls. He knows I like all my drinks iced. He got 50 individually wrapped, perfectly clear, sphere-shaped ice balls. Not cubes. Ice balls. I looked this up. Not cheap. I didn’t even know ice had a luxury tier, but apparently here we are.
3D Monopoly World Edition. I don’t like board games. He does. He also likes hosting board game nights with his friends and even folks from the office. So he got me a 3D Monopoly board. Pretty sure this was less “happy birthday to you” and more “happy birthday to me, and please start hosting game nights”
Bezzera Magica Espresso Machine and bean rinder. Now this… This was mega. There’s already an espresso machine everywhere I am planted – at home, in my own office next to my desk, in the community office kitchen. This was a an upgrade from my automatic machines and it’s not just any machine – A Bezzera Magica. To me this is what it feels like to own a brand new classic American crafted Cadillac in the 60’s. It’s absolutely beautiful.
A 3-day travel-and-stay package for my girlfriend and I to Aspen. This was basically forced vacation. I have not taken more than one day off in the past 2 years we’ve worked together. Him being older, he was always delivering a fair lecture about balance. He has a chalet we could use so there’s no excuse at this point.
A New MacBook Pro. Technically not a gift. But he took the time to swap out my battered 2016 MacBook Pro for a new one. He has been saying it was time. Personally, I think he was just tired of watching me run our company off a tatted old machine wheezing on its last legs.
Overall, super thoughtful on his part. Definitely one to remember. He has officially ruined the curve for everyone else. Excuse me while I draft a text letting my girlfriend know she may need to step up her birthday gift game.
Companies who have it together pay less
February 2019